by Keith Martin
Family-Friendly Play Performed by Appalachian Young People’s Theatre
BOONE, N.C. – Now in their 53rd year, the award-winning Appalachian Young People's Theatre (AYPT) is producing the regional premiere of Wesley Middleton's family-friendly play "Tomato Plant Girl" with three performances scheduled in the intimate Greer Studio on the university's Boone campus, located at 401 Academy Street in Boone, with a 7 p.m. curtain Friday, April 24 with 2 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26. General admission tickets are $5 person and now available by phone, in person, or online at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets may also be purchased at the door 30 minutes prior to each performance.
The Appalachian Young People's Theatre is a dynamic component of the Department of Theatre and Dance (T&D) at Appalachian State University. Founded in 1972, AYPT works in partnership with communities and public schools of northwestern North Carolina to bring high-quality, affordable, live theatre experiences to young audiences who otherwise see little or no theatre.
"Tomato Plant Girl" is a play for young audiences about friendship, bullying, and self-discovery. It follows a shy girl who befriends a magical plant girl that emerges from a tomato plant. The plant teaches her to stand up for herself against a controlling friend. The play explores themes of healthy vs. unhealthy friendships, self-confidence, and finding your own voice.
A new girl in town, "Little Girl," is dominated by her "Bossy Best Friend." When the Bossy Friend leaves, Little Girl revives a dying tomato plant, which comes to life as the whimsical "Tomato Plant Girl," who teaches her to play by her own rules. Set in a garden created in a vacant lot. our production is fast-paced and whimsical and uses humor and empathy to tell "Little Girl's" story. Much of the work was centered on audience involvement, to let viewers feel as if they are part of the story.
Middleton is an accomplished playwright known for works that explore themes of identity, friendship, and personal growth. She began her career in 1991 when she co-adapted Ariel Dorfman's short story "The Rebellion of the Magical Rabbits" into a children's play for the Yale Drama Children's Theatre Commencement Show. Middleton received her bachelor's degree in theatre studies and comparative literature from Yale University and her M.F.A. in playwriting from the University of Texas at Austin. "
Tomato Plant Girl" was developed through the New Play Development Workshop at UT/Austin in 1997 and jointly premiered by Metro Theater Company (St. Louis) and Idaho Theatre for Youth (Boise). It has also been produced by the Mizel Arts Center (Denver, Colo.) and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
The Appalachian production of "Tomato Plant Girl" is directed by Associate Professor Derek Gagnier, head of the T&D performance concentration and a veteran stage director, who is making his AYPT debut in that capacity. Gagnier notes that the play, "has a lot of funny moments and gentle humor appropriate for younger viewers, but the play will resonate with parents and adult audience members as well."
Derek Gagnier
Gagnier is working with two separate casts on the production, each of which will be performing in rotation during the Boone performances. The "red tomato" cast features Sophomore Theatre Education major Anya Hartzog from Greensboro as Bossy Best Friend, Junior Theatre Education major Ella May from Hickory as Little Girl, and Senior Theatre Education major Mary Snow from Concord, NC as Tomato Plant Girl. The "green tomato" cast includes Junior Theatre Education major Gianna Giglio from Red Bank, NJ as Bossy Best Friend, Junior Theatre Education and Math Education double-major Charlie Earnst as Little Girl, and Senior Theatre Education major Leah Jones from Cameron, NC as Tomato Plant Girl. Junior Theatre Performance major Lee Bodenhamer plays Bossy Best Friend's Mom in both casts.
When not onstage, the cast shares stage management responsibilities and contributed to the design and construction of the set, props, and costumes. Bodenhamer stated that, "The show is not just for kids, the goal is making it for everyone." Castmate Giglio said, "The play is about learning to accept yourself without other people defining who you are," and Mary Snow agreed, adding that, "Many issues are addressed in the show, and it's good for kids to talk about them."
Given that the play is at heart a comedy with a message, Anya Hartzog wanted people to know "the show explores the differences between true friends and false friends. I wish I knew the difference when I was younger." Charlie Earst summed it up best by saying, "Sometimes it takes having a tomato plant to understand true friendship."
"Tomato Plant Girl" is presented by arrangement with Dramatic Publishing. More information is available on the T&D website at https://theatreanddance.appstate.edu/. Directions to Greer Studio Theatre and parking information may be found here.
Artwork by Bradley Parquette
Media Contact
P.J. Wirchansky
wirchanskypj@appstate.edu
828-262-7249
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About the Department of Theatre and Dance
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the mission of the Department of Theatre and Dance is to facilitate transformative experiences for students and the public, which cultivate compassionate, creative, and collaborative communities through theatre and dance. The department also offers coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Its dynamic co-curricular production program provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community, and the region.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance. Learn more at cfaa.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,795 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
Appalachian Young People's Theatre logo
Appalachian Young People's Theatre logo